Title

The NSX vCenter must protect audit information from any type of unauthorized read access. (Cat II impact)

Discussion

Audit information includes all information (e.g., audit records, audit settings, and audit reports) needed to successfully audit information system activity. If audit data were to become compromised, then competent forensic analysis and discovery of the true source of potentially malicious system activity is difficult, if not impossible, to achieve. In addition, access to audit records provides information an attacker could use to his or her advantage. To ensure the veracity of audit data, the information system and/or the network device must protect audit information from any and all unauthorized read access. This requirement can be achieved through multiple methods which will depend upon system architecture and design. Commonly employed methods for protecting audit information include least privilege permissions as well as restricting the location and number of log file repositories. Additionally, network devices with user interfaces to audit records must not allow for the unfettered manipulation of or access to those records via the device interface. If the device provides access to the audit data, the device becomes accountable for ensuring audit information is protected from unauthorized access.

Check Content

Verify the application must reveal error messages only to authorized individuals. Log on to vSphere Web Client with credentials authorized for administration, navigate and select Networking and Security >> NSX Managers >> NSX Manager in the Name column >> Manage tab >> Users. View each role and verify the users and/or groups assigned to it. Application service account and user required privileges must be documented. If any user or service account has more privileges than required, this is a finding.

Fix Text

To create a new role with specific permissions, associate the newly created role to an Active Directory group, and associate that group to an NSX Role, do the following: Log on to vSphere Web Client with credentials authorized for administration, navigate and select Administration >> Access Control >> Roles >> Click the green plus sign and enter a name for the role and select only the specific permissions required. Groups can then be assigned to the newly created role. To associate the newly created role to an Active Directory Group, navigate and select Administration >> Access Control >> Global Permissions >> Click the green plus sign >> Click Add under Users and Groups >> Select the appropriate Group and assign the appropriate role. Navigate and select Networking and Security >> NSX Managers >> NSX Manager in the Name column >> Manage tab >> Users >> Click the green plus sign >> Choose Specify a vCenter group, enter FQDN of group name, click Next >> Select the appropriate NSX Role and click Finish. Application service account and user required privileges must be documented.

Additional Identifiers

Rule ID: SV-83775r1_rule

Vulnerability ID: V-69171

Group Title: SRG-APP-000118-NDM-000235

Expert Comments

CCIs tied to check.

Controls tied to check. These are derived from the CCIs shown above.